Peru 9 -The Caverns of Nrsimha

Oct 15, 2011, 9:28am, the hidden caves of Chacra y Mar Playa

Breakfast is late, so time to write about our adventure in the nearby coastal caves. I'm up at 5:50am for the 6 am departure – silly me this South America, not North – actual departure time is 30 or so minutes later (mañana). With our Mexican guide, Govinda, Mika, Jenny, Casi and moi head out under foggy skies, heading south on the beach, then over the hill with the solitary Truly, down to the next cove. We strip off our shoes and are soon waiting outside a large cave entrance right at tide line. With huge swells coming in, we have to time our entrance between wave sets, otherwise risk getting a full salt water bath and a possible drag out to the ocean. Govinda has done this before – she is the first one in. We soon all follow, dashing thru the cave tunnel to reach the hidden beach in a huge cavern before the next wave washes in. A small beach is at the end of the cave, above which is a huge painting of Nrsimha – with a human body and a lion head. He is a masculine incarnation of Krishna. We sit cross-legged under the mural in a small semi-circle, and some OMs soon fill the cave with the crashing waves playing bass. A huge wave almost reaches our circle, and we spring up, ready to dash out in the next relatively safe moment.

Peruvian Perennial Psychology and Swami Paramadvaiti

I found a copy of Perennial Psychology in the volunteer common room last night, after playing a round of Hearts with Mika and Jenny. Published in 2007, this Manual on OIDA Therapy is written by Swami Paramadvaiti (born 1953 as Ulrich Harlan), the German founder of Eco Truly Park. This man had led a rich life, and has created many spiritual legacies around the world. He started a monastic life at 18. He has created many yoga ashrams and Eco-centres around the world – mostly in South America, and has studied and written and produced DVDs about the many world faiths. He lives between India and Eco Truly Park, but is on the road mostly giving talks around the world.

His basic philosophy is that secularism in education and ones life has blocked us from advancing as a human race, that leaving out the sacred and the mystical and the faith (regardless of culture) leads to egotism and greed and a lot of our suffering and pain. He encourages us to embrace our spiritual traditions, and meld them into our lives daily. There is no difference between a primitive man and a modern man. There is no difference between male and female. There is no difference between one faith and another. Underneath our various clothes, we are all human, and should treat each other as equals, with mutual respect.